Philip DiCologero, former legislative aide to Patronage Job Seeker Barbara L’Italien, and current Executive Assistant to Methuen Mayor Stephen Zanni, has filed with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to run against freshman Representative Diana Dizoglio (D-Methuen). DiZoglio, a former legislative aide to Republican Paul Adams, defeated long time Democratic representative David Torrisi in a primary in 2012. She then went on to beat Republican Karin Rhoton in the general election.

DiCologero is the second Democrat to file with OCPF to challenge Dizoglio. In January, Oscar Camargo filed to challenge DiZoglio. Camargo is a veteran of the National Guard.

Photo Credit: VoteDizoglio.com

DiZoglio ended 2013 with $19,649 in the bank. The district is the 47th most Republican and ranks as an R+8 in a gubernatorial year. Scott Brown got 60% in 2010 in thsi district and Baker garnered 50% of the vote in November of the same year.

This is a strong pickup opportunity for the GOP as the Democrats will be spending lots of money in a primary.